Rail car



Feb. 2, 1943.

P. PARKE RAIL CAR Filed May 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I F 'i, RN: @2 1g. p" Q g Q.

Feb. 2, 1943.

P. PARKE RAIL CAR Filed May 29, 1959 I e Sheets-Shet 2 Feb. 2, 1943.

P. PARKE RAIL can Filed May 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 2, 1943. P.PARKE I 2,309,665

RAIL CAR Filed May 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Felb. 2, 1943.

- P. PARKE RAIL cAn Filed May 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 P. PARKE Feb. 2,1943.

RAIL CAR Filed May 29, 1939 6 Shuts-Sheet 6 II I/III Patented Feb. 2,1943 RAIL CAR Peter Parke, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The PullmanCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 29,1939, Serial No. 276,438

7 Claims.

The railway passenger of today is afforded more privacy and greatertraveling comfort than ever before in the history of railroadtransportation. These improved conditions are largely the result of moredeluxe accommodations, ranging from the closed sleeping car section tothe private rooms en suite; and it is this latter type of accommodationthat forms the subject matter of the present invention. I

As one of the principal objects, it is intended to provide adjoiningprivate rooms in a railway car, fully equipped for day and night use,sepa rated by a partition foldable against one of the room walls in sucha manner as to have a maximum amount of floor space available for theoccupants use. Each room is intended to have access to and from thetrain aisle; and, when the partition is folded back against one of thewalls, at least one' door is to remain "available into the enlarged roomfor passage to and from the aisle.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description isread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is aperspective View of a portion of a rail car with the side of the car andthe room walls broken away so as to show the general arrangement of apair of bedrooms en suite;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a car showing two adjoining roomsseparated by a folding partition, the dotted lines indicating thepartition in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, transverse sectional view through one of thebedrooms taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the storage cabinet and shoe lockertaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, horizontal sectional view through thestorage locker taken on the line l--'l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through thefolding partition on the line 3 -8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is 'a vertical sectional View through one of the partitionsections on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4, a portion of the partition beingbroken away;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical sectional view takenthrough one of the hinges of the partition on the line ill-10 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical, sectional view taken on the line H-Ilof Fig. 4, a portion of the partition being broken away; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary, detail view of the top portion ofone of the partition hinges.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been selected forthepurpose of disclosure in compliance with section 4888 of the RevisedStatutes, but, obviously, many modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

The present application is a continuation in part of the co-pendingapplication by Peter Parke, Richard Cunningham, and Lewis A. Lutherrnan,Serial No. 223,964, and filed August 9, 1938.

Referring to Figs. 1, 4, and 5, the car body includes an underframegenerally indicated at 29, a pair of sides 2| and 22, and a roof 23.Along the car interior adjacent to wall 2|, an aisle 24 extendsthroughout the length of the car and a plurality of bedrooms, two ofwhich are shown at 25 and 26 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, extend from the aisleto car side 22 and are separated from the aisle by partition 21.

These rooms as shown are what are termed double bedrooms, and arebounded on one side by a partition 28, on the ends by car side 22 andaisle partition 21, and along the other side by a folding partition 29,shown in its closed position in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Each room is equipped with a sofa 30, suitable for either day or nightuse, both forms of which are shown in Fig. 1, an upper berth 52, atoilet stand comprising a cabinet member indicated at i, including ahopper unit 32 (shown in Fig. 4), enclosed in a housing 33, a washstand34, a medicine cabinet 35, and an open shelf 35. Positioned at the endof the sofa 39 adjacent to the aisle partition 21 is a storage cabinet31 having a door 38, and extending beneath the sofa is the usual shoebox 39 (Figs. 2 and 5) having a door 49 opening into the room and asecond door 4| providing access into the shoe box from the aisle.

When the upper berth 52 is made up for night use, it assumes theposition shown in room 25 of Fig. 1, and a ladder 42 hooks onto the edgeof the berth. A baggage rack 43 is provided above the washstand.

Eachroom is provided with a window 44 suitably positioned with respectto the sofa 30.

Extending throughout the length of the car directly over the aisle is aconditioned air duct 45 adapted to furnish conditioned air to each roomthrough branch duct 46 and grill 4'! /a' shown in Fig. 5. The return airpasses from the room through gril1 I20, positioned in the door near thefloor line, and aisle 24 serves as the return duct to the airconditioning equipment.

As shown in Fig. 4, each room is provided with an exhaust vent 48 (Fig.5) through which smoke and a certain amount of vitiated air passes andan exhaust duct 49 carries this air to one end of the car, where, itisdischarged into the atmosphere. The conditioned air passing through airduct is either heated or refrigerated, depending on outside temperatureconditions, and auxiliary floor heating coils 59 serve to warm the airat the floor line. Heating coils 51 extend throughout the length of thecar on the aisle side, as shown in Fig. 5, and serve to supply heat tothe aisle.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rooms 25 and 26 are separated by a foldingpartition 29, and the toilet stands 3| in the two rooms are positionedagainst the car side 22 in such a manner that their dividingline,-indicated at 53, lies in the plane of the folding partition 29;and when this partition is in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2,it is sealed against the toilet stands.

Partition 29 is hinged to aisle partition 21, as best shown in Figs. 1and 2, and is made up of three partition sections, 54, 55, and 55, thefirst two of which are hinged together by vertical hinge 51, andsections and 56 are hinged together by a vertical hinge 58. Thepartition is supported at its top from a pair of stationary panels 59,shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, spaced to receive a track 69, shown in Fig.10. This track is inverted U-shaped with inwardly extending flanges 6|,and serves to guide the partition 29.

The details of the folding partition 29 are best disclosed in Figs.8-12, inclusive. A ply metal section 10 is secured to the aislepartition 21 by means of angle bars H and 12, one positioned on eachside of the ply metal panel. Along the free edge of this panel, an anglebar 69 is secured, to which is attached hinge elements l3, suitablyspaced throughout the height of the folding partition. A facing strip 14is secured to the ply metal panel so as to finish off the panel byhiding the hinge sections 13 where they are secured to the panel. Tosection 54 of the folding partition is secured an angle bar 15, to whichis applied a plurality ofhinge sections 16, suitably spaced throughoutthe height of the partition to serve as complementary hinge members toelements 13. Between spaced elements l3 on each partition section andeach element 16 on the adjoining partition section a filler TI is emrployed, and then a finishing strip 18 is used to cover these filler andhinge members on each partition section. A tube 19 extends through thehinge members 73 to 16 to serve as a pin and complete the verticalhinge.

Referring to Fig. 8, in order to seal the hinge so as to make it soundproof and light proof, metal strips 89 and 8| are secured to ply metalpanel 79 and partition section 54, respectively, by means of screws 82;and these strips are provided with flanges 83, having pockets forreceiving a sealing strip 85 of felt, rubber, or other suitablematerial, which bears against the Vertical hinge.

The strips 80 and 81 extend throughout the height of the foldingpartition, and are provided with a finger guide made up of inclinedsurfaces 86 and 86', which forces the finger of the operator away fromthe hinge itself to prevent pinching of the finger.

The various angle members, flllers, hinge members, and finishing stripsare all secured to the ply metal panel and partition sections by meansof riveting, screws, or other suitable means, and the construction ofhinges 51 and 58 is identical with the one connecting partition section54 to the ply metal panel 19.

Between the toilet stands for the adjoining rooms is placed a door jambmeans which may comprise a ply metal strip 8! (Fig. l) which extendsfrom the floor to the top of the folding partition and, as shown in Fig.8, an angle bar 88 is secured to the free end of this strip. A 2 bar 89is then fastened to the end of the ply metal strip 81, and along theinner face of flange 99 of the Z bar 89 is cemented a felt pad 9!. Achannel strip 92 is riveted or otherwise secured to the free end ofpartition section 56, and when the partition is closed, this channelstrip rests against the felt pad 9| As best shown in Fig. 10, thefolding partition is swung from overhead on the track 99 by a block 93riding on the track; and a supporting arm 94, secured to this block bymeans of a rivet 95, extends downwardly, and terminates with a flangedportion 96. A pin 91, mounted on the flange 96 of the arm 94, projectsdownwardly into the tube 79, and is secured thereto, as indicated at 98.Between the head of the pin 9'! and the flange is inserted some suitabletype of hearing, such as ball bearings 99. Between each of the adjoininghinge members 13 and i6 and at the top of the hinge member 73, locatedat the top of the partition, are inserted bushings I90, which seal thehinges to prevent passage of sound and light.

As shown in the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, the partition 29folds into room 25, and consequently the panel 59 (Figs. 10 and 11),which is located in room 26, is provided with a 2 bar mi, having a feltor other suitable strip |92, against which the partition closes to forma seal across the top of the partition. A channel strip I93 extendsacross the top of the partition sections.

A finishing strip in the form of an angle I94 (Figs. 10 and 11) isprovided along the bottom of the panel 59 on the side facing room 25..As best shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the bottoms of the folding partitionsections are provided with channel members I96, which are adapted toreceive wooden blocks I91. Sealing strips Hi8 of rubber or othersuitable. material are inserted into the wooden blocks I01 and serve toseal the folding partition at the floor.

Between the panel sections 59 and the track 69 are inserted fillers I09.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, artition 29, when opened, is folded backagainst the aisle door leading into room 25; and, when closed, thepartition is locked in place by means of floor bolts H0 and Ill (Fig. 4)and overhead bolts H2 and H3, which are inserted and locked intosuitable slots. In order to open the partition, it is necessary tomanipulate bolts I I9 and I [2 from one side of the partition and boltsHI and H3 from the other side, so that the partition canbe opened onlyafter manipulation from both rooms.

Positioned on the middle partition section 55 on each side is a foldingtable I M, which may be opened and used as a writing table, and a mirrorH5, directly above the table. When the partition is in its openposition, as shown in Fig. 2, one of thetables and its correspondingmirror are made accessible by bending the partition section 56 to itsclosed position.

I claim:

1. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a door for each roomin the aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a bed positionedin each room adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, similar toiletfacilities in the two rooms adjacent to the side wall and to each otherand projecting into the rooms, the top surfaces of the toilet facilitiesbeing disposed below the eye level of persons normally seated in theroom, door jamb means mounted between said toilet facilities andextending from the floor upwardly toward the room ceiling and in theregion above the toilet facilities being spaced from the innermost edgeof the toilet facilities toward the side wall a distance substantiallycorresponding to the depth of the toilet facilities, and a multipanel,foldable partition hinged to the aisle wall between the two doorstherein, said partition being foldable against one of said doors toconvert the two rooms into one large room with said beds beingoppositely disposed and substantially free of any intermediate partitionobstruction to provide a maximum amount of unobstructed floor spacebetween said oppositely disposed beds and being extensible to engagesaid door jamb means for dividing said one large room into two rooms.

2. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a door for each roomin the aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a bed positionedin each room adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, similar toiletfacilities in the two rooms adjacent to the side wall and to each otherand projecting into the rooms, each of said toilet facilities being acabinet member extending vertically from the fioor toward the upperregion of the room and including a hopper unit projecting into the roombeyond the innermost face of the remainder of the cabinet member, theinnermost face of each cabinet member being substantially vertical andsubstantially parallel with the said car side wall, the upper surface ofeach hopper unit being disposed below the eye level of persons normallyseated in the room, door jamb means mounted between said cabinet membersand extending from the floor upwardly toward the room ceiling and in theregion above the hopper units being spaced outwardly from the innermostedge of the hopper units and disposed closely adjacent to the innermostfaces of the remainder of said cabinet members so as to provide anunobstructed area above the hopper units affording the maximum amount ofintervision between said two rooms, and a multipanel, foldable partitionhinged to the aisle wall between the two doors therein, said partitionbeing foldable against one of said doors to convert the two rooms intoone large room with oppositely disposed beds and substantially free ofany intermediate partition obstruction to provide a maximum amount ofunobstructed floor space between said oppositely disposed beds and beingextensible to engage said door jamb means for dividing said one largeroom into two rooms.

3. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a fioor for each roomextending from the side wall 'to'the aisle wall, a door for each room inthe aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a bed positionedin each room adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, similar toiletfacilities disposed in the two rooms adjacent to the side wall and toeach other and utilizing a portion of the floor area in the rooms, saidtoilet facilities each including a folding washbasin adapted to pivotabout a horizontal axis parallel to the side wall and when foldedassuming a position closely adjacent to the side wall, and eachincluding a hopper unit below the washbasin, door jamb means mountedbetween said toilet facilities and disposed closely adjacent to thevertical outer faces of the washbasins when the latter are in theirfolded positions and stepped around the hopper units, and amulti-p-anel, foldable partition hinged to the aisle wall between thetwo doors therein, saidpartition being foldable against one of saiddoors to convert the two rooms into one large room with oppositelydisposed beds and substantially free of any intermediate partitionobstruction to provide a maximum amount of unobstructed floor spacebetween said oppositely disposed beds and being extensible to engagesaid door jamb means for dividing said one large room into two rooms. I

4. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a floor for each roomextending from the side wall to the aisle wall, a

, door for each room in the aisle wall, permanent transverse partitionsconnecting said walls and each defining an opposite end of one of therooms, a bed positioned in each room adjacent to the permanent partitionthereof, similar toilet facilities disposed in the two rooms adjacent tothe side wall and to each other and utilizing a portion of the floorarea in the rooms, said toilet facilities each including a foldingwashbasin adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis parallel to the sidewall and when folded assuming a position closely adjacent to the sidewall, and each including a hopper unit below the washbasin extendinginto the room a greater distance than the folded basin, door jamb meansmounted between said toilet facilities and extending upwardly from thefloor and following generally the profile of the toilet facilities, anda multi-panel, foldable partition hinged to the aisle wall between thetwo doors therein, said partition being foldable against one of saiddoors to convert the two rooms into one large room with oppositelydisposed beds and substantially free of any intermediate partitionobstruction to provide a maximum amount of unobstructed floor spacebetween said oppositely disposed beds and being extensible to engagesaid door jamb means for dividing said one large room into two rooms.

5. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms a floor for each roomextending from the side wall to the aisle wall, a door for each room inthe aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a bed positionedin each room adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, similar toiletfacilities disposed in the two rooms adjacent to the side wall and toeach other and utilizing a portion of the floor area in the rooms, saidtoilet facilities each including a folding washbasin adapted to pivotabout a horizontal axis parallel to the side wall and when foldedassuming a position closely adjacent to the side wall, and eachincluding a hopper unit below the washbasin extending into the room agreater distance than the folded basin, door jamb means mounted betweensaid toilet facilities and extending upwardly from the fioor in front ofthe hopper units to a position above said units, and then toward theside wall to a position adjacent to the front faces of the folded basinsand then upwardly toward the room ceiling, and a multipanel, foldablepartition hinged to the aisle wall between the two doors therein, saidpartition being foldable against one of said doors to convert the tworooms into one large room with oppositely disposed beds andsubstantially free of any intermediate partition obstruction to providea maximum amount of unobstructed floor spaced between said oppositelydisposed beds and being extensible to engage said door jamb means fordividing said one large room into two rooms.

6. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a fioor for each roomextending from the side wall to the aisle wall, a door for each room inthe aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a bed positionedin each room adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, similar toiletfacilities disposed in the two rooms adjacent to the side wall and toeach other and utilizing a portion of the floor area in the rooms, thetoilet facilities for each room including a hopper unit having avertical face projecting into the room, door jamb means mounted betweensaid toilet facilities and extending upwardly from the floor adjacent tothe innermost vertical faces of the hopper units and being steppedaround the hopper units so as generally to correspond to the contour ofthe units, and a multipanel, foldable partition hinged to the aisle wallbetween the two doors therein, said partition being foldable against oneof said doors to convert the two rooms into one large room withoppositely disposed beds and substantially free of any intermediatepartition obstruction to provide a maximum amount of unobstructed floorspace between said oppositely disposed beds and being extensible toengage said door jamb means for dividing said one large room into tworooms.

'7. In a railway car, a side wall and an aisle wall defining thelongitudinal sides of a pair of contiguous rooms, a door for each roomin the aisle wall, permanent transverse partitions connecting said wallsand each defining an opposite end of one of the rooms, a. bed positionedin one of the rooms adjacent to the permanent partition thereof, toiletfacilities disposed in said last named room adjacent to the side walland to the other room, said toilet facilities including a hopper unithaving a vertical face projecting into the room, door jamb means mountedclosely adjacent to the front face of said toilet facilities andextending upwardly from the floor adjacent to the innermost verticalface of the hopper unit and being stepped around the hopper unit so asgenerally to correspond to the contour of said unit, and a multi-panel,foldable partition hinged to the aisle wall between the two doorstherein, said partition being foldable against one of said doors toconvert the two rooms int one large room substantially free of anyintermediate partition obstruction to provide a maximum amount ofunobstructed floor space and being extensible to engage said door jambmeans for dividing said one large room into two rooms.

PETER PARKE.

